Bianfu (Chinese: 弁服; pinyin: biànfú) is a historical set of attire in Hanfu consisting of a knee-length Chinese upper garment known as jiangshapao (Chinese: 绛纱袍) over a qun, a Chinese skirt, known as hongchang (Chinese: 红裳; lit. 'red skirt') or pair of ku-trousersalong with other accessories.[1][2] Coupled with the Chinese headwear known as pibian, the complete set of attire is also referred as pibianfu (Chinese: 皮弁服).[2] This set of attire was considered to be a ceremonial dress.[1] In the Zhou dynasty, the bianfu was only ranked-second after the mianfu and it was worn by the emperors when he would work on official business or when he would meet with the court officials.[3]
The upper garment known as jiangshapao (simplified Chinese: 绛纱袍; traditional Chinese: 絳紗袍) which was red in colour[2] and extended all the way to the knees.[1] This was typically worn over a red skirt known as hongchang (Chinese: 红裳; lit. 'red skirt') that reached the length of the ankles.[1] The wearing of a qun under an upper garment was only worn during formal occasions.[1] Over the hongchang, the wearer wore a red coloured bixi.[2] Under the red outer garments, an inner garment known as zhongdan (Chinese: 中单) was worn.[2] A yugui (Chinese: 玉圭; lit. 'jade tablet') would be held in its wearer's hands; it was further accessorized with yupei (Chinese: 玉佩), daxiaoshou (Chinese: 大小绶; a ribbon-like accessory), and the belt called dadai (simplified Chinese: 大带; traditional Chinese: 大帶).[2] The bian (Chinese: 弁), also known as pibian (Chinese: 皮弁), was a cylinder-shaped guan (headwear) that completed the outfit.[1]
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Pibian (皮弁) according to the Chinese encyclopedia Gujin Tushu Jicheng, between 1700 and 1725.
Dadai (大帶)
